The Fours Awakens: A Star Wars XI

To celebrate Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you, get it?) we’ve selected an XI of cricketers with admittedly tenuous links to George Lucas’ creation. If you thought cricket/Star Wars puns didn’t extend far beyond Wicket the Ewok and The Umpire Strikes Back, boy were you wrong.

1. Shikhar Pa-Dhawan

Compared to the likes of Indian greats Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar, the opener is still a junior, but we’re backing him to ascend to the rank of master before long.

2. Kumar Chewbakkara

He’s a bit more eloquent than the world’s most famous wookie, although as his mane grew in the twilight of his career he did begin to resemble him. His friendship with Mahela Jayawardene is also perhaps the only thing that can rival Chewie’s bromance with Han Solo.

3. Obi-Wan Kane-obi

New Zealand’s captain can block balls all day long, with one of the surest defences in Test history. A bit like Obi-Wan, who could deflect blast shots from Stormtroopers seemingly infinitely without being breached.

4. Jedi (Heather) Knight

A leader, capable of stunning feats with the blade in her hand, who raised her sport to new heights… Yep, England captain Heather Knight is definitely a jedi!

5. Quinton DEwok

With his baby-faced features, the Proteas keeper is one of the few cricketers who can match the inhabitants of Endor for cuteness.

6. Return of the (Bishan) Bedi

****Responsible for laying the foundations of a great dynasty that still stands today. It remains to be seen whether the Jedi fare similarly.

7. Kylo Ren-e Farrell

Can swing the ball prodigiously and seemingly at will, almost like she’s using the force to bend its path.

8. Brett Lee-PO

Bowled at speeds previously thought only achievable by machine, but like C-3PO there was always a lot of personality and heart under the surface.

9. Darth Siddle-ous

A schemer, working away behind the scenes, guiding his more flashy colleagues on their destructive paths, just like his not-really namesake. Could his woolly hat be an attempt to cover up a Palpatine-esque balding pattern? One can only speculate.

10. The Phantom Dennis (Lillee)

Keen of delivering a Maul-ing, you’d look like you’d seen a ghost after facing Lillee’s searing pace too.

11. Death Star-c

****Mitchell Starc is developing quite the reputation as the destroyer of tails, but it would take some yorker to blow up a planet!